Punishment
by Breeva Malfoy
Summary: One shot Hermione G/ Draco M


**Punishment**

_**Author's Note: All characters belong to JK Rowling. I just play in her world.**_

Draco had been alone the night that she came to the manor.

He had opened the door to a woman he had barely ever known. She had been shivering against the february weather, her gloved hands wound about her waste in an attempt to keep the cold from her creeping into her bones.

He noticed a stray leaf stuck in her bob of soft chestnut curls.

His fingers twitched absently at his side, before he curled them into a tight fist that matched his expression.

" Granger."

Hermione's eyes spoke volumes before her lips moved. " I want to see him."

Draco's stomach churned. His free hand tightened on the door frame he had kept between them, leaving her in the cold and a safe distance between them.

" He's asleep."

She shook her head, her hands releasing their death grip on her narrow waste, one aimlessly brushing her stray curls from her eyes that were prickling with tears.

" Draco. Please."

He sighed strangled words. " You can't have it both ways Granger."

Her face suddenly seemed to darken in color. Her eyes that were moments before damp, now were almost storming with a mixture of emotions, all of them stemming off of rage.

" Both ways? You know I never wanted this!"

" Well that we at least agree on." Draco went to shut the door.

" Draco!"

Her hand was against the door, her eyes on fire. " You have no idea what I wanted!"

A scream ripped through the hallway of the Malfoy manor. Draco on instinct shot forward down the hallway, and with long steady strides followed the sounds that were being produced from a very small set of lungs. The door he left open, the woman who stood there forgotten for the moment.

Hermione took a step into the foyer. Her heart tripped against her chest as the sounds of a baby being comforted echoed off the walls surrounding her.

His voice was so different at that moment. That she had noticed from the very first day he had seen the child. That and the way he held his son, close to his chest, his hands brushing the soft cheeks of the infant as he cuddled against his fathers chest.

The baby had been born so far from everyone she loved, hidden away from the friends and family that she wanted so desperatley to share him with.

But in the end, through all the secrecy, when Hermione finally saw her son in the arms of his father, she knew Draco would take care of her baby.

There had been no other choice.

The memory cracked against every heart string, pulling at the persistent feeling of empty that had taken up residence in her chest since that very day.

" I know kid. She has that effect on me too."

Hermione felt her mouth twitch with what could have been a sad smile, but when Draco rounded the corner with her son in his arms she could do very little but wonder how she had been away from her baby son for so long.

" He's so much bigger."

Draco nodded absently, tucking the forest green blanket tighter around the baby now calming in his arms. " I had him to see the doctor for a check up a few days ago. He's tripled his birth weight."

She smiled in awe at the sight before her.

Draco lifted his eyes.

Once again Scorpius had an effect on his mother that Draco had never been able to execute.

Hermione was completely in love with his boy.

He hated the feelings it provolked in his chest.

" His hair." Her hands moved to reach for the sleeping child, but she dropped them almost as quickly. " It's growing almost as quickly as he is." Her smile lifted toward Draco. " There's so much of it and blonde...of course."

" Zero control over the color of his hair Granger."

Hermione gazed upon her little boy again. " No. He's beautiful." She gave into her own instinct then, her free hand brushing the top of the babies head. " I wouldn't want it any other way."

There was silence between them, the only sound was Scorpius breathing himself into a deep sleep.

" It's cold out here." Draco motioned toward the foyer they both stood in. " The study is warmer. Last thing I need is Scorpius catching something that will keep me up all night, every night for the next week."

He left her to follow, which he knew she would.

It wasn't until she was standing under the doorway of the study did Draco turn to her, the baby suddenly exchanging from his arms to her stiffened body.

" You made the trip. Might as well get what you came for." He hovered over her as she adjusted to having her son so close to her again, than when Draco realized she was relaxing he turned away.

It was his dream turned reality turned nightmare all over again.

" Hello baby. Look at how big you are. Look at you." Hermione lowered herself into the nearest chair, his chair...but she barely noticed. " I've missed you. Missed you so much sweetheart." Her voice hitched when tiny chocolate colored eyes opened slowly to look up at her.

" How long are you goin to do this for?"

" Draco. Please."

He stood from the chair, pacing once across the floor than turning and retracing his steps back toward her. " No. Granger. You can't keep showing up on my doorstep demanding to see him, knowing I can't deny it no matter how I feel."

" Please don't-"

" Please don't?" Draco stood in front of her, his hands fisting in a desperate attempt to refrain from shaking her senseless. " Please don't? That's all you have to say? Merlin woman! I let you in to my home to be with your son whenever you bloody well please and that's all you have to say!"

" What do you want me to say Draco!" She hissed between clentched teeth. " What? That I'm sorry! That I wish things could be different? You know I wish things were different!"

He said nothing, just tried to assume his breathing.

Hermione stared at Draco, her heart throbbing in her throat, willing her hands to stay gentle on the baby at her chest. " Draco. You know what I want." She shook her head. " It's just..."

" Just what? Weasley? What in the fuck do you owe him?"

Scorpius whined at the sound of his fathers voice as it rose. Draco immediatley silenced again, walking away from them both again.

" You have no idea what I go through on a daily basis do you!"

He flinched, his eyes widening on her.

" No idea." Hermione rose slowly. " None. You think you're the only one hurting, you're the only one whose suffering? I have to leave him over and over again and you get to have him every day of your life! You get to watch him learn to walk. To speak. And all I have are these small moments...and you're wondering what I owe the man who has been my best friend for over a decade?"

She continued without taking a breath. " I owe him respect. At least a shred of what I can give him..."

" Because you slept with me? Because you ended up getting pregnant with my son!"

" No. Because I betrayed him."

" You didn't betray him."

" I slept with you. I slept with you and I was married to Ron. I broke vows, I lied to my husband, my family, my friends. Two years Draco! For two years I lived a lie!"

His body almost folded around her, his hands on either side of her trembling arms, their baby once more nestled between them.

Draco bent his head to rest on her shoulder, her scent assaulting his every sense. " I can't keep doing this Hermione. I can't."

Her face blended into his chest, the soft wool of his black sweater bristled against her moist cheeks. She could smell soap, mixed with his aftershave and baby powder. Her pulse skipped under her skin.

" I did betray Ron."

He lifted his head, her eyes matching his. " But thing is I dont regret it. How could I regret it. How could I regret him."

Draco looked down at his son sleeping now in his mothers arms, understanding all too well what she meant.

" And I don't regret you Draco."

She kissed his lips, ones that were unprepared for the pain and pleasure that ripped through his body when she pressed herself against him in such a way. His fingertips throbbed, his bones ached, every muscle in his body spasmed. But it wasn't enough, it would never be enough to tear himself away from her.

It was through their muffled embrace, she spoke the words he hated but longed for.

" I love you Draco."

He kissed her harder, twisting her lips against his feeling her accept him once again, want him again just like she had never left him.

But he knew it would end. Even while he tasted her and felt her warm skin under his fingers he knew that she would be gone soon.

But he couldn't refrain from her. He never could.

He realized it was his punishment, his consequence for the wrongs he had commited. Draco would never have the woman he loved.

He would however, have her reminder.

When she pulled away he braced himself for the words he had heard before. Countless times. Too many times.

" I have to go."

He nodded, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek, hoping to compensate for the now real pain that was tripping against his chest.

Draco received his son once more, whimpers of protest coming from the child.

As always, she stood for too long, her arms emptied her heart screaming in a terrible ache, her decisions colliding within the furthest dimensions of her memory.

" Hermione."

His warm hand was embracing her cheek, his iced blue eyes begging her to relent to him. To them. To a family that so wanted to be.

" Please."

Draco Malfoy's punishment continued with the closing of a door and a baby's cries echoing off of an empty hallway.

_**This was put together pretty fast. Was watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and decided that Draco deserves at least a little happiness in his life, not a lot...just a little! lol Not my greatest work **_

_**Anyway, review if you like**_

_**Breeva**_


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